Grain scourer and separator.



PAT-ENTED JULY 21, 1903 w. E. LARMON.

GRAIN SGOURER AND SEPARATOR.

' APPLIOATIOH FILED Jun. 13, 1902. H0 MODEL.

' 2 sums-sum 2.

THE mums PETiRS co, Pnmuu'mo, WASHINGTON, n. c.

7 UNITED STATES Patented July 21, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

GRAIN SCOURER'AND SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 733,978, dated July 21, 1903. I Application filed March 13, 1902. Serial No. 98,100. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM EUGENE LAR- MON, a citizen of the United States, residing Grain Scourer and Separator, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention is an improved grain scourer and separator; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

One object of my invention is to combine with the revoluble screen-cylinder a cleaningbrush which operates on the upper side thereof to remove particles therefrom and means to carry oif the said particles pneumatically.

A further object of my invention is to effect improvements in the construction of the brushes which revolve within the perforated revoluble screen-cylinder whereby the said brushes may be adjusted to compensate for the wear of the wires or bristles thereof, to keep the same in contact with the revoluble screen-cylinder, and to prevent the wires or bristles of the brushes from becoming bent out ofshape when in use.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal central sectional view of a grain scourer and separator constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a partial top plan view of the same and partly ahorizontal section taken on a plane indicated by the line a a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of my improved brushes. Fig. 4; is a detail transverse sectional view of the same. I

In the drawings, 1 indicates a revoluble cylinder with spider-heads 2 3, having, respectively, the trunnions 2 3, revolving inbearings in asupporting-frame. Oloserheads are indicated at 4. and 5 as integral with the casing 13 and arenon-revoluble.

The speed-shaft 6, which extends through the cylinder and the trunnions of the spiderheads thereof, revolves in suitable bearings, which are not here shown, and is connected by a train of friction-gears such as are ordinarily employed in machines of this class to the trunnion 3f, whereby the re'voluble perforated cylinder and the speedshaft are driven at different rates of speed. The friction-gears for rotating the speedshaft and revoluble cylinder are well known to those skilledin the art to which this invention relates and are no part of my present improvements. They are indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The trunnion 3. of the spider-head 3 is provided in the embodiment of my invention here shown with a pulley 7, which is connected by an endless belt 8 to'a similar pulley 9 on one end of a shaft 10, which shaft is journaled in suitable bearings, as at 11, and carries a revoluble cleaning-brush 12, which is disposed above the cylinder 1 and operates on the upper side thereof. 7 I

The cylinder 1 and brush-l2 are inclosed in asuitable inclosing case, such as is indicated at 13 in the drawings, and in the under side of the said inclosing case below the. perforated cylinder 1 is a hopper 14, into which the heavier particles removedfromthe wheat or other grain in the cylinder l are discharged. The speed-shaft 6 is provided with spiders 15, the radial arms of which carrybrushes-17, which operate against the inner side of the perforated cylinder 1 and theconstruction of which is hereinafter fully described.

The closer-head 5 is provided with a discharge-spout 18, through which the cleaned grain passes from the discharge end of the cylinder 1. The closer-head 4 has a feed-spout 19, through which grain is fed to the feed end of the cylinder from aihopper 20, which is located above said feed-spout 19, as shown in Fig. 1. The speed-shaft carries an exhaust-fan 21. A flue 22, which has its intake 23 disposed between the hopper 20 and the feed-spout 19, leads to and discharges into a casing 24, in which the exhaust-fan revolves. A flue 25 also discharges into the said fancasing, and the said flue communicates with the casing 13 at a point above the cleaningbrush 12, as at 26, and also communicates with the discharge-spout 18, the intake end of the said flue 25 extending somewhat below the discharge-spout, so that the grain discharged from the cylinder 1 into the flue 25 as it falls through said line is acted upon. by an ascending current of air created byfthe exhaust-fan, and hence the grain is wiunowed as it is discharged from the cylinder 1 and such of the finer particles ofimpuritiesas may still be adhering thereto are carried oif by the exhaust-current, as will be understood.

An exhaust-current of air is maintained by the action of the exhaustfan upwardly through the perforated cleaning-cylinder 1 and past the cleaning-brush 12 through the connection 26 into the flue 25, as will. be understood, so that the lighter particles separated from the grain in the cylinder 1 and brushed from the outer side thereof by the cleaning-brush 12 are also carried off pneumatically. The intake 23 of the exhaust-flue 22 being disposed between the hopper and the feed-spout 19, the grain is initially winnowed before it is fed to the grain-scourer. Hence by myimproved construction and combination of devices the grain is initially winnowed before being fed to my grain-scourer, is subjected continuously While passing through the cleaning or scouring cylinder to an exhaustcurrentof air which carries oif the lighter impurities pneumatically, the exterior of the scouring and cleaning cylinder is constantly subjected to the action of the cleaning-brush 12, the impurities dislodged by the cleaning-brush are carried off pneumatically, and finally the cleaned grain is winnowed as it is discharged from the'cleaning and scouring cylinder and is in condition for milling Without further treatment. The machine is eflicient in removing smut, cheat, chaff, dirt, and the fuzz which grows on the end of the grain, and the perforations in the cylinder 1 being sli htly less in size than that of the grain cockle, garlic-seed, and the like are separated from the grain while the same is beint, scoured and cleaned and discharged from the cylinder through the hopper 14 and winnowed as they pass through the said hopper.

I will now describe my improvementsin the construction of the brushes 17, which revolve in the cylinder 1. Each of the said brushes comprises a box or frame 27 and a head 28, which is adjustable therein. Each box or frame 27 is preferably cast and is composed of a single piece of metal, has a front side 29, therear side 30, the ends 31, and the crossbars 32, which are disposed transversely of and connect the front and rear sides. The outer side of the box or frame is open, and the inner side thereof is also open excepting where the cross-bars 32 are disposed. Formed with the front side 29 are inwardly-extending lugs 33, which are adapted to lie against the outer portions of the radial arms of the spiders 15,carried by the speed-shaft, and are secured to the said radial arms, as by bolts, the said lugs 33 having openings 34 for the shanks of the securing-bolts. Hence the box or frame of each brush is immovably secured to the spider-arms and is incapable of radial adjustment toward or from the screen or cylinder 1 and at all times remains at the same distance therefrom. I call the side 29 the front side, because of the direction of rotation of the brush, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4E. The rear side is of less width than the front side 29 to afford room for the wires or bristles 35 of the head 28 to bend rearwardly, owing to the friction between the same and the cylinder 1. By thus narrowing the rear side 30 of each brush box or frame the wires or bristles are not bent to so great an angle as to break or cause them to permanently dispose at an angle, and to increase the efficiency of the brush box or frame in this respect I also bevel the inner face of the rear side 30 outwardly, as at 36. Hence the wires or bristles of the brush-head are not bent by the friction against the cylinder 1 to such an extent as to permanently dispose them at an angle or destroy their elasticity. The brush-head 28, which carries the bristles or wires, is movable in the box or frame radially with reference to the cylinder 1 to compensate for the wear at the outer ends of the wires or bristles and enable the latter to be kept in contact with the inner side of the cylinder until they are almost entirely worn down to the adjustable brushhead.

Within the scope of my invention any suitable means may be employed for adjusting the brush-head in the box or frame. I here show adjusting-screws 37 for this purpose, which adjusting screws engage threaded openings in the brush-head,have their shanks swiveled in openings in the cross-bars 32 for rotation therein without axial movement, and are provided at theirinnerends with thumbheads 38, by which they may be turned to adjust the brush-head.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a grain scourer and separator, the combination with a cylindrical screen, of a revoluble element therein, and a brush secured thereto, said brush comprising a box or frame havinga front side rectangularin crosssection and a rear side triangular in crosssection, the incline or bevel of said rear side being on the inner side of the box and said rear side being lower than said front side, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a grain scourer and separator, the combination with a cylindrical screen, of a revoluble element therein having a radial arm, a brush box or frame secured to said radial arm, the said brush-box having one side shorter than the other, the shorter side being beveled or inclined outwardly, a brushhead having wires or bristles adapted to bear against the inner side of the screen and being disposed in said box or frame and means for adjusting said head in said box.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM EUGENE LARMON.

Witnesses:

N. E. PORTER, I-IUBERT P. OLDHAM. 

